And the winner is …

Maybe Rogers hasn’t decided but the participants in our non-scientific poll have made it very clear who should be comfortably seated in the host’s chair for the next season of Hockey Night in Canada.

Ron MacLean.

For 85 per cent of those responding to the TC Media poll, the answer was as clear as Kris Letang’s winning goal in the Stanley Cup final this year. Of the 157 people to take part in our quick poll, only six, less than four per cent, thought current host George Stroumboulopoulos should stay.

Stroumboulopoulos was brought in about two years ago after Rogers Media signed a deal with the NHL to get the rights to Hockey Night In Canada, a 12-year, $5.2-billion agreement. But despite the thought that Stroumboulopoulos would bring in a new, younger audience, the ratings have dipped.

There is no official word if Rogers and MacLean have worked out a deal or if the change is going to be made. MacLean and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman have clashed in on the HNIC broadcasts in the past when MacLean took the players’ union side during NHL labour unrests.

But while our poll listed only four choices: MacLean, Stroumboulopoulos, both or neither, at least two voters took the opportunity to make their own recommendations – Dave Hodge or Nick Kypreos.

Here are the comments left on our poll. Feel free to add your own below:

Huck

Not to say that Stroumboulopoulos is a bad TV host, but he is so far out of his depth on HNIC that sometimes it just borders on embarrassing. I don't even bother watching what is going on between periods because it is so painfully dull. Strombo hasn't convinced any young people to tune in, and not having MacLean in the big chair has actually caused many fans to tune out. Find a show aimed at young people for Strombo, and put the far superior hockey knowledgeable MacLean back on HNIC.

Ed Higgins

Lost all respect for MacLean some years back when he hired a big-name agent and then tried to have his salary increased by 50%. He should have been dumped then in my humble opinion. In addition, half the crap that Cherry found himself in was because MacLean brought up the topic to begin with and just let Grapes run with it. Strumbo, sounds more like a hockey fan than a hockey man. Personally, I think there are many who would do a fine job in the big chair including Darren Dreger, Bob MacKenzie, Dave Hodge, and my personal choice because of his background and hockey knowledge, Mr. Darren Pang.

George Ivany

Ron should have been there from the start. The new guy was terrible. He, and that ridiculous panel of so-called experts, drove many people away from HNIC. Get Ron back with the TSN panel...Dregs, Bob Mackenzie and their team. Would be awesome!!

Gerry

When Ron MacLean was replaced as host of HNIC I stopped watching. If he is back, I am back. PERIOD.

Ron MacLean.

For 85 per cent of those responding to the TC Media poll, the answer was as clear as Kris Letang’s winning goal in the Stanley Cup final this year. Of the 157 people to take part in our quick poll, only six, less than four per cent, thought current host George Stroumboulopoulos should stay.

Stroumboulopoulos was brought in about two years ago after Rogers Media signed a deal with the NHL to get the rights to Hockey Night In Canada, a 12-year, $5.2-billion agreement. But despite the thought that Stroumboulopoulos would bring in a new, younger audience, the ratings have dipped.

There is no official word if Rogers and MacLean have worked out a deal or if the change is going to be made. MacLean and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman have clashed in on the HNIC broadcasts in the past when MacLean took the players’ union side during NHL labour unrests.

But while our poll listed only four choices: MacLean, Stroumboulopoulos, both or neither, at least two voters took the opportunity to make their own recommendations – Dave Hodge or Nick Kypreos.

Here are the comments left on our poll. Feel free to add your own below:

Huck

Not to say that Stroumboulopoulos is a bad TV host, but he is so far out of his depth on HNIC that sometimes it just borders on embarrassing. I don't even bother watching what is going on between periods because it is so painfully dull. Strombo hasn't convinced any young people to tune in, and not having MacLean in the big chair has actually caused many fans to tune out. Find a show aimed at young people for Strombo, and put the far superior hockey knowledgeable MacLean back on HNIC.

Ed Higgins

Lost all respect for MacLean some years back when he hired a big-name agent and then tried to have his salary increased by 50%. He should have been dumped then in my humble opinion. In addition, half the crap that Cherry found himself in was because MacLean brought up the topic to begin with and just let Grapes run with it. Strumbo, sounds more like a hockey fan than a hockey man. Personally, I think there are many who would do a fine job in the big chair including Darren Dreger, Bob MacKenzie, Dave Hodge, and my personal choice because of his background and hockey knowledge, Mr. Darren Pang.

George Ivany

Ron should have been there from the start. The new guy was terrible. He, and that ridiculous panel of so-called experts, drove many people away from HNIC. Get Ron back with the TSN panel...Dregs, Bob Mackenzie and their team. Would be awesome!!

Gerry

When Ron MacLean was replaced as host of HNIC I stopped watching. If he is back, I am back. PERIOD.